Kylee’s Kitchen: Valentine’s Day coffee cake

For many people, the focus on Valentine’s Day is a romantic dinner.

But Kylee Scales is kicking things off with a special breakfast in Kylee’s Kitchen.

Heart-shaped cinnamon pecan coffee cake

Ingredients for filling

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

Ingredients for dough

• 14 grams active dry yeast
• 6 ounces water
• 11 ounces all-purpose flour
• 7 grams salt
• 1 ounce granulated sugar
• 14 grams nonfat dry milk powder
• 1 ounce unsalted butter
• 1 small egg

OTHER OPTIONS FOR DOUGH: 1 roll of your favorite store-bought sweet dough, thawed (Kylee’s choice) or 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

Ingredients for glaze

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon milk
• 1/2 teaspoon maple extract or vanilla extract

Directions for filling

1. Mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in medium bowl. 
2. Stir in melted butter and pecans. Set aside.

Directions for dough (skip to step 9 if you do not need to make the dough)

1. Dissolve yeast in water in bowl. 
2. Combine flour, salt, sugar, milk powder, 
3. shortening, butter and eggs in bowl of mixer fitted with a dough hook.
4. Add the water/yeast mixture; stir to combine.
5. Knead on medium speed 10 minutes.
6. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl; cover and place in a warm spot. Bulk 
7. ferment until it doubles, approximately 1 hour.
8. Punch down dough. Let it rest a few minutes to allow the gluten to relax.
9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. Roll dough into rectangle, approximately 10” x 12”
11. Sprinkle filling across surface of dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edges.
12. Roll the dough jellyroll-style into a log.
13. Fold the dough in half on top of itself. The fold should be facing you.
14. Cut through the middle of the dough, both the top and bottom layers, stopping about 2 inches from the cut ends. 
15. Move dough to baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Open up the cut ends and lay them flat so it looks like a heart shape. You’ll want to pull the two top lobes out farther than you think because they’ll spread when they bake.
16. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it’s lightly browned and the dough is cooked through.

Directions for glaze

1. While coffee cake is cooling, whisk together powdered sugar and cinnamon. Pour in milk and maple extract or vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
2. Pour glaze over coffee cake. Sprinkle with additional toasted pecans if desired.